Vincent J. Esades

Vincent Esades is an equity partner of the firm Heins Mills & Olson, P.L.C. in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has a national practice in the field of complex litigation, primarily in the areas of antitrust, consumer fraud and securities fraud. Mr. Esades has consistently been recognized as an outstanding attorney in the practice of antitrust, law on the annual Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers list, most recently in the 2017 edition. He has also been recognized as a "Leading Lawyer" by The Legal 500 US, which ranks Heins Mills & Olson as one of the top antitrust class actions firms nationally most recently in 2017. The inaugural edition of Benchmark Plaintiff: The Definitive Guide to America's Leading Plaintiff Firms & Attorneys recognized Vincent Esades as one of the Minnesota "Litigation Stars" in the practice of antitrust, consumer and complex litigation.

In addition to his antitrust practice, he also currently serves as lead counsel for the consumer class in a class action on behalf of Target customers arising from one of the largest data security breaches in history (In re Target Corporation Customer Data Security Breach Litigation, MDL No. 14-2522 (D. Minn.) and as a member of the Financial Institution Plaintiffs' Steering Committee and the Law & Briefing Committee in In re: The Home Depot, Inc., Customer Data Security Breach Litigation, MDL No. 14-02583 (N.D. Ga.) (representing class of financial institutions harmed by another one of the largest payment card security breaches in U.S. history).

He also currently serves in a leadership role in a number of major antitrust class actions, including appointment as co-lead counsel in Gordon v. Amadeus IT Group, S.A., Case No. 1:15-cv-05457 (S.D.N.Y.) which involves antitrust claims against global distribution companies on behalf of millions of consumers who purchase airline tickets; Fond Du Lac Bumper Exchange, Inc. v. Jui Li Enterprise Company, Ltd., Case No. 09-0852 (E.D. Wis.) which involves claims of nationwide price fixing of automotive sheet metal parts by aftermarket sheet metal parts manufacturers; and In re Lipitor Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 2332 (D.N.J.), which involves antitrust and consumer protection claims on behalf of proposed class of indirect purchasers of the prescription drug.

He has served as plaintiffs' lead or co-lead counsel in several other nationwide class actions. Vince represented classes of consumers and obtained nationwide settlements in In re Lawnmower Engines Horsepower Marketing & Sales Practices Litigation (MDL No. 1999 E.D. Wisc.) (alleging RICO, consumer fraud, civil conspiracy and unjust enrichment claims against manufacturers of lawn mowers and lawn mower engines); In re Puerto Rican Cabotage Antitrust Litigation (MDL No. 1960 D.P.R) (alleging price fixing by Jones Act shipping companies for ocean shipping services between the U.S. and Puerto Rico); In re Publication Paper Antitrust Litigation (MDL No. 1631 D. Conn.) (alleging price-fixing claims against paper manufacturers); Johnson v. ELCA Board of Pensions (representing retired pastors and church employees with breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty claims against the ELCA Board of Pensions); In re Polyester Staple Antitrust Litigation (MDL No. 1516 W.D.N.C.) (alleging price fixing claims against polyester staple manufacturers on behalf of business purchasers where Vince also served as member of the trial team before the case settled on the eve of trial); and In Re Bulk Graphite Antitrust Litigation (D.N.J.) (alleging price fixing claims against manufacturers of bulk graphite on behalf of business purchasers).

Vince is also currently involved as a member of plaintiffs' executive committees in numerous other nationwide class actions, including In re American Express Anti-Steering Rules Antitrust Litigation (E.D.N.Y.) (challenging rules preventing merchants from providing consumers with incentives to use forms of payment that are less expensive than American Express branded payment cards); In re Rail Freight Fuel Surcharge Antitrust Litigation (D.D.C.) (claims alleging conspiracy among major domestic railroads to fix prices for rail freight surcharges; In re: LIBOR-Based Financial Instruments Antitrust Litigation (S.D.N.Y.) (alleging that member banks of the British Bankers' Association conspired to manipulate the London InterBank Offered Rate on behalf of Non-Defendant OTC plaintiffs).

Vince tried a price-fixing case to verdict as a member of multi-firm trial team in In re High Pressure Laminates Antitrust Litigation (MDL No. 1368 S.D.N.Y.) (price-fixing claims against manufacturers of high pressure laminates on behalf of business purchasers) and served as lead counsel in a case tried by Heins Mills and other co-lead counsel in November 2008-In re Universal Service Fund Telephone Billing Practices Litigation (MDL No. 1468 D. Kan.) (consumer fraud and price-fixing claims against AT&T, MCI and Sprint for USF surcharges).  Vince is active in several current nationwide antitrust cases, In re Capacitors Antitrust Litigation (No. 3:14-cv-03264 N.D. Cal) (price-fixing claims against international manufacturers of capacitors); Kleen Products LLC v. International Paper Co. (No. 1:10-cv-05711 N.D. Ill.) (price-fixing claims against containerboard manufacturers); In re Dental Supplies Antitrust Litigation (No. 1:16-cv-00696 E.D.N.Y) (market manipulation claims against dental supply sellers); Pro Slab, Inc. v. Argos USA Corp. (Case No. 2:17-cv-03185 D.S.C.) (regional price fixing against sellers of ready mix concrete).

Vince has actively participated in numerous other antitrust class actions as well, including appointed by the court as a member of the plaintiffs' steering committee in In re Pool Products Distribution Market Antitrust Litigation (MDL No. 2328, E.D. La.) (asserting claims of monopolization and attempted monopolization of the U.S. pool products distribution market); In re Aluminum Warehousing Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 2481 (S.D.N.Y.) (claims alleging conspiracy to inflate aluminum prices, restrain aluminum supplies and provide extremely inefficient, low quality load out and other services); In re TFT-LCD (Flat Panel) Antitrust Litigation (N.D. Cal.) (price-fixing claims against producers of Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Displays); In re Municipal Derivatives Antitrust Litigation (S.D.N.Y.) (claims on behalf of local governments against brokers, banks and insurance companies alleging bid-rigging and other anti-competitive practices in the municipal derivatives industry); In re Hydrogen Peroxide Antitrust Litigation (E.D. Pa.) (price-fixing claims against manufacturers of hydrogen peroxide); In re Intel Corp. Microprocessor Antitrust Litigation (D. Del.) (claims alleging monopolistic practices by Intel in the x86 microprocessor market); In re Air Cargo Shipping Services Antitrust Litigation (E.D.N.Y) (claims against major airlines alleging price-fixing of fuel surcharges for freight transportation); In re Vitamins Antitrust Litigation (D.D.C.) (as discovery co-chair involving international price-fixing); Howe v. Microsoft Corp. (N.D.) (as lead counsel involving abuse of monopoly power); Gordon v. Microsoft Corp. (Minn., 4th Jud. Dist.) (involving abuse of monopoly power); In re NASDAQ Market-Makers Antitrust Litigation (S.D.N.Y.) (involving NASDAQ market price-fixing); and In re Motorsports Merchandise Antitrust Litigation (N.D. Ga.) (price-fixing of merchandise).

Vince has also been an active speaker on complex litigation topics, the Class Action Fairness Act, multi-state settlement issues and class arbitration and has presented at the ABA Annual Convention and the ABA Annual National Institute on Class Actions as a moderator and panelist regarding major antitrust issues. Representative engagements include:

• Institute Planning Committee and Moderator, ABA's 21st Annual National Institute on Class Actions, "Yea! or Nay! Opting Out-Whether and When?", Washington, DC, October 26-27, 2017, sponsored by the ABA's Litigation Section's Class Action and Derivative Suits Committee.
• Institute Planning Committee and Moderator, ABA's 20th Annual National Institute on Class Actions, "‘Pit Boss Powwow.' Exactly What Is the MDL Judge College and How Does It Work?", Las Vegas, NV, October 19-20, 2016, sponsored by the ABA's Litigation Section's Class Action and Derivative Suits Committee.
• Institute Planning Committee and Moderator, ABA's 19th Annual National Institute on Class Actions, "King Cake or Po-Boy? Do Class Actions Offer Meaningful Compensation to Class Members, or do They Simply Rip Off Consumers Twice?", New Orleans, LA, October 22-23, 2015, sponsored by the ABA's Litigation Section's Class Action and Derivative Suits Committee.
• Institute Planning Committee and Moderator, ABA's 18th Annual National Institute on Class Actions, "Navigating Menacing Waters-Presenting Class-Certification Experts, Maneuvering Daubert Challenges, and Tackling Trial Testimony", Chicago, IL, October 23-24, 2014, sponsored by the ABA's Litigation Section's Class Action and Derivative Suits Committee.
• Institute Planning Committee and Moderator, ABA's 17th Annual National Institute on Class Actions, "‘Arbigeddon!!!' Has the Revolution to End Class Actions Spawned Weapons of Mass Arbitration?", Boston, MA, October 23-24, 2013, sponsored by the ABA's Litigation Section's Class Action and Derivative Suits Committee.
• Institute Planning Committee and Moderator, ABA's 16th Annual National Institute on Class Actions, "‘Sifting Through All the Big Shoulders.' Litigating Class Actions Alongside Opt-Outs-Free-Riding or Riding Shotgun", Chicago, IL, October 24-25, 2012, sponsored by the ABA's Litigation Section's Class Action and Derivative Suits Committee.
• Institute Planning Committee and Moderator, ABA's 15th Annual National Institute on Class Actions, "Melee in Manhattan! Class-Action Objectors-Are They Protectors of Absent Class Members or Merely Gadflies?", New York City, NY, October 14, 2011, sponsored by the ABA's Litigation Section's Class Action and Derivative Suits Committee.
• Institute Planning Committee and Moderator, ABA's 14th Annual National Institute on Class Actions, "Perspectives on Multidistrict Litigation from the MDL Panel and Beyond", Chicago, IL, October 14, 2010, sponsored by the ABA's Litigation Section's Class Action and Derivative Suits Committee.
• Panelist and Moderator, ABA's 13th Annual National Institute on Class Actions, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Courthouse . . . I Had to Litigate an Arbitration Clause! Crafting, Opposing, and Arguing Arbitration Clauses and Class-Action Waivers in Three Scenes," Washington, DC, November 20, 2009, sponsored by the ABA's Litigation Section's Class Action and Derivative Suits Committee.
• Panelist, American Antitrust Institute's Annual Invitational Symposium on The Future of Private Antitrust Enforcement, "Action on the Class Action Front: A Potpourri," Washington, DC, December 11, 2008.
• Panelist, ABA's 12th Annual National Institute on Class Actions, "‘I Could Have Sworn It was CAFA, not Kafka!' The Metamorphosis of Pleading, Defending, and Settling Multi-State Class Actions-A Surreal-Life, Three-Act Play," New York, NY, November 7, 2008, sponsored by the ABA's Litigation Section's Class Action and Derivative Suits Committee.
• Lecturer, "Class Actions: Growing Your Business by Understanding the Basics and Recognizing Opportunities," Cleveland, OH, October 31, 2008, sponsored by the Cleveland Bar Association.
• Panelist, ABA's 11th Annual National Institute on Class Actions, "The Nationwide Class: White Elephant, Endangered Species, or Alive and Well?" Chicago, IL, October 19, 2007, sponsored by the ABA's Litigation Section's Class Action and Derivative Suits Committee.
• Panelist, ABA's 2007 Annual Meeting, "‘Is this CAFA or Kafka?' Multi-State Class Actions in a Time of Metamorphosis-A Surreal-Life, Three-Act Play," San Francisco, CA, August 9-12, 2007, sponsored by the ABA.